President Trump announced on Friday that the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw will take place at the Kennedy Center, following his administration’s take over of the Washington, D.C., cultural center.
The draw will be held on Dec. 5, Trump said in the Oval Office flanked by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Vice President Vance and special envoy Ric Grenell who is interim Kennedy Center executive director.
“The World Cup draw will set up the group stage of competition,” he said, touting that the event will involve 48 teams over 104 games across 16 North American cities.
Trump called the World Cup the “biggest event in sports.”
“It’s a tremendous honor to bring the global event and this incredible group of people and these unbelievable athletes, the best athletes in the world, to the cultural center of our nations capital,” he said.
The president visited the Kennedy Center earlier in the day, meeting with contractors to look at the work he said was needed at the institution. Trump said that by the time the draw occurs in December, the Kennedy Center will be in better condition.
“By that time, it will be in even better shape, we’re working on it,” he said about the draw.
The president also quipped that he thinks the name of the institution could be changed to include him.
“Some people refer to it as the Trump Kennedy Center but we’re not prepared to do it right now. Maybe in a week or so,” he said.
Infantino brought to the Oval Office with him the gold trophy that the winner of the World Cup wins and handed it to Trump.
“It’s for winners only and since you’re a winner, you can as well touch it,” Infantino said, noting that the last player to hold it was Argentina soccer star Lionel Messi.
Trump responded, laughing, “Can I keep it? We’re not giving it back.”
“The biggest event ever and everything will start here in Washington, D.C., at the Kennedy Center— or the Trump Kennedy Center,” Infantino said.
Trump has tapped Andrew Giuliani, an ally and son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, to lead a task force overseeing the 2026 World Cup and he convened a meeting of the task force at the White House in May.
